The previous blog mentioned crop science and the John Innes Centre (meanwhile another broadsheet obituary for Chris Lamb has appeared), and the role of research in ‘biomedical agriculture’ to produce nutritionally enhanced plants. Continuing this latter theme, I paid a visit last week to Warwick HRI at Wellesbourne, formerly Horticulture Research International and prior to that the National Vegetable Research Station. Warwick HRI was once an institute of BBSRC (it is now part of the University of Warwick), and is a leading centre for research into important horticultural crops. I was introduced to several recent recruits, many from abroad, who described some very impressive work indeed. Horticulture is an important part of BBSRC’s landscape, especially given our interest in Food Security, and it was pleasing to know that this research area has a sound intellectual (and financial) base. The genome sequence of the potato blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans has just been published online. I was pleased to note that several UK and BBSRC-funded institutes and laboratories – including Warwick HRI – have been able to participate in the experiments leading to this important milestone. […]